1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate in general to medical imaging systems and, more particularly, to medical imaging systems minimizing the vibrations generated by such imaging systems when operated.
2. Description of the Related Art
Imaging systems usually comprise an imaging assembly comprising an X-ray source, namely an X-ray tube, and an X-ray detector placed opposite to the X-ray tube in a direction of emission of the X-rays. The tube and the detector are usually placed on two mutually opposite ends of a so-called “C-arm” shaped in the form of an arch.
During a radiographic examination, it is necessary to produce radiographs of a region of interest in the body of a patient irradiated by X-rays. For this purpose, after the patient has been laid out on an examination table, the X-ray tube and the detector are brought to face the region to be radiographed and to be centered around the region of interest.
When the X-ray chain, comprising the X-ray tube and the X-ray detector is moved to reach the region of interest, or when the X-ray chain is stopped, vibrations may appear in particular within the imaging assembly. However, the image quality and the perception of the image viewed by the operator are highly damaged when vibrations occur.
It is therefore desirable to eliminate the vibrations generated when the X-ray chain is moved to the region of interest or stopped.
Known vibration absorbers are utilized to control vibrations in an imaging system.
Some vibration control systems minimize the noise and/or. vibrations generated by a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, and are operated to create a secondary noise and/or vibration field which cancels the primary noise field generated when the MRI system is operated.
Magnetostrictive devices have also been used to prevent low frequency vibrations from propagating along an elongate member. Vibration isolation devices are utilized in various technical fields, for example within aircrafts or automotive vehicles.
Vibration absorbers, intended to absorb vibrations in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system as a whole, have also been utilized. It has thus been noted that such vibration absorbers are not suitable to absorb efficiently the vibrations generated within an imaging assembly when moved to reach a region of interest or subsequently stopped.
In light of the foregoing, there is a need for an X-ray imaging apparatus and a method for operating such an X-ray imaging apparatus which remediates this drawback and suppresses the visible vibrations within the image.